Gun with recoiling barrel.



K. V'Q'LLBR. GUN WITH HBGOILING BARREL.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.1B, 1911,

Patented Apr. 15, 1913.

4 SHEETS-:EHBBT 1.

K. VO'LLER.

GUN WITH RECOILING BARREL. APPLIUATION FILED NOV.'18,1911

1,059,093, Patented Apr. 15, 1913.

4 SHEETB-SHEET 2.

V TNESSES K. V'OLLER.

GUN WITH RECOILING BARREL.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 18, 1911 Patented Apr. 15, 1913.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

. ll l K. VOLLER. GUN WITH RECOILING BARREL APPLICATION FILED NOVl8, 1911.

1,059,093. Patented Apr. 15, 19m.

4 SHEETS *SHEILT-1 UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

VULLER, OF DUSSELDORF, GERHANY, ASSIGNOB '10 RHEINISGHE METALL WALREN- UND MASCHINENFABBIK. OF DUSSELDORF-DERE NDORF, GERMANY,

A CORPORATION OF GERMANY.

GUI I WITH BECOILING BARREL.

Patented AprII5, 1913.

To all whom it may concern:

' Be it known that I, KARL VoLLnn, a subtu al section ofa derice by which the bra which ject of the German Emperor, residing at 12 Scharnhorststrasse, Dusseldorf, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improveinents in Guns with Recoiling Barrels; and I do hereby declare the followi to be -a full, clear, and exact description .0 the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

In guns in which the trunnions are placed nearflthe breech block, the preponderance-of the weight of the forward part of the gun has previously been balanced by special count'erwe' hts. The present invention dispenses wit any special counterweights by causi v the recoil of the-barrel to move certain 0 er parts forward. Guns with recoil- 'ing barrels are known in which the pistons for the running'out movement of the barrel move in the opposite direction to the barrel, but this arrangement has only been adopted to suit a particular construction of the run ning out device and has not been intended to-balancethe weightuof the barrel and of the mov' p In contrast to these known devices-in the present-invention, the

masses of the parts in the o posite' directions are so proportioned, that t e center of gravity of the stem in the normal position liesnear the re'ech block and its position is maintained practically constant at .difierent elevations as well as'during' the 4 recoil and run out.

e drawing shows several constructions for carrying out the invention.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of an arrangement, in which the brake cylinder of the recoil brake is constructed as a forward movi part. Fig. 2 is a similar section throng an arrangement, in which a s is] run out istonisdriven forward by fi brakingfluig. 3 is crt ss section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 1s a longic linderalso moves -forward, but in e forward movement of the cylinder is brought about-b the barrel in a differcnt manner to that s own in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a cross section on the line 5-5 of F 4. Fig.8 is a longitudinal section through a n wi t-ha forward inoving brake cylinder in which a third method of communicating the-movement is employed. Fig. 7 is age'ross' 1fi'erent posi- Fig.; of Fig. 9.

In the construction shown in', Fig; l, the

cradle b, which can be swung into d ifierent elevations about the trirnnions d on the car'- rlage c. The trunnions are situated hearthe breech block whenthe barrel is in its forward position. The gun barrel a is connected at front and rear to the ibi ake cylinder 9 by a dr member e, which runs over the roller. f. e brake cylindefr g is mov- "gun barrel a recoils in known mannerson the ableon the cradle, while the brake piston rod h is fixed to the after end of the cradle 1 On therecoil of the barrel the brake cylinder 9 is drawrfgrward; and in doin so compresses the spring i. The mass o the brake cylinder is so proportioned in rela-8o *tiqn to the recoiling mass (If the gifn barrel,- that the center of gravity lies near't he trun- .nions dand'reniains there during th'redoil of the barrel (land the foryihrd movement of the brake cylinder 9.. as the advantage that the gun is more st'a he, on being fired, than one in which the whole mass recoils. At the end of the. recoil -movement, the spring iiretnrns the brake cylinder and causes the barrel to move forward.

In'the construction according to Figs. 2 and 3 a weight is moved forward by hydraulic pressure as the barrel recoils. In this arrangement one of the two upper cylinders shown, acts as a brake cylinder for the recoil; a piston connected to the barrel slides in this cylinder. In the other upper cylinder, a piston also moves with the bar'- the upper to the lower cylinder, so as to .rel and during the recoil forces fluid from drive a weight forward. Thetwo pistons connected to the barrel are arranged side by side. The fluid-in this case takes the place of the member e of'F i 1. ,Theharrel a'is connected with the bra e ist-on ki WhlCl'l I'ecoils with the barrel in t e fixed; brake cylinder Z. This causes the forward movement of a heavy piston 10. in aoylinder m connected with the brake 'cylinder l; the movement of the piston 'n, compresses the air Within the cylinder m. At the end of the agrees with Fig. 1 in that the brake cylinder fmoves forward, when the barrel recoils.

ut-in this case the movementis transmitted by'a toothed rack 0 fixed to the barrel, which onthe recoil rotates a pinion"? jo naled in the cradle and this pinion engages with rack teeth on the brake cylinder 9 and moves it forward during therecoil of the barrel. "In the construction according to Fig. 6

the barrel a. p rovidedwith a screw thread-- ed" rack q whjch engages with a nut r. The latter as provided with a worm on its outer circumference, which gears with the teeth of the raclratiached to the barrel. The nut is secured in the cradle 32 against axial disp'lacsi'nent, and has a worm thread in its central opening which engageswith'an ex-' ternal thread on the brake cylinder g. The latter is provided with a projection sliding in a groove .3 which prevents the cylinder from rotating, On the recoil of the barrel the nut 'r is rotated and the brake cylinder 9 moved forward, by the screw thread, so as 3 to compress the spring At the end of the recoil, the spring i returns the parts to the original position. I

In the construction shown in Figs. 8l0 a supplemental cradle constitutes the mass moved forward during the recoil. F or this purpose supplemental cradle b can slide.

in the cradle t, which is attached to the carriage by the trunnions d. The barrel 0. is provided, as in Fig. 4, .with a toothed rack 0 which gears with a pinion p, journaled in the cradlej and engages with a toothed rack a, which is attached to the supplemental cradle b. On the recoil of the barrel a. the supplemental cradle Z) is moved forward in the cradle t by means of the toothed gearing.

At the end the recoil'of the barrel the return spring (not shown in these figures) actuated in known manner and comprdsscd by til-lib ecoii, brings the parts back again to their or'ginal positions.

In the construction shown in Figs. 11 and 12, which is of the same general type as that shown in Figs. 2 and 3, as the piston rod of the piston enters farther into the brake cylinder during the recoil, a corresponding volume of fluid is pressed into a separate container 0. the piston being provided with longitudinal ports to allow the fluid to pass. As the piston rod 'iswithdrawn from the brake cylinder, the fiuid is driven back into is arranged is withdrawn with the brake cylinder 9;.

the cylinder by the pressure of a spring not ing on the piston a. If the container 0 above the brake cylinder, the

spring actuated piston'af isnot necessar and the fluid would flow back into the bra e cylinderof its own accord as'the piston rod from this cylinder. In Figs. 11 and 12 the weight moves forward as the barrel recoils, is con- 1 structed to act at the same time as the brake for the run'out movement,'and for this purpose a rod d, which is' proyided with a groove or is cone shaped is inserted in 9. cv-

b, which i lindrical boring of the weight b. As the weight b moves forward during therecoil of the barrel it compresses to agreater de-- gree the air in front of it, which was already under pressure, and which act's as a return spring to epn out the barrel and during-this movement the weight 1) slides on the rod cl. and a braking a'ction. is :exerted the liquid escaping either through the grooves in the rod d or in .the annular space between it and the wall of the bore of the piston.

In Figs. 13, 14 and 15 the brake cylinder sic.

g is movable and acts at the same time as forward moving- 'weight.. .The braking action on the recoil and run out is effected inthe movable brakin'g'cylinder g, which is driven forward by the fluid displaced dure ing the recoil by the piston attached to the barrel. -The air compressed in front of the brake c linder by this movement takes the place oi the return spring. The piston rod h is fixed to the cradleand does not move The rod d screwed into the brake cylinder moves forward with the brake cylinder during-the recoil ,and as it slides in the hollow piston rod It acts as a brake during the run out. a

The construction shown in Figs. '16 and 17 similar tothat shown in Fig. 13 but tbs-nip out is brought-about by a return spring instead of by alr'pressure. The com pression cyli der 1" is shown in Fig. 16

lie

above the braking cylinder and return spring but below them in Fig. 13. The latter arrangement has the advantage that the air space 1s above, which is preferable, since air always tends to move into the higher parts and 'to escape therefrom. The ar rangcment shown in Fig. 16. has the ad vantage; that the connection k" between the barrel and the ,piston of the compression cylinder f can be considerably shorter and consequently can-.be lighter and more simply constructed. Also the center of gravity of the whole gun as well as of themoving parts is lower, and this adds to the stability of the gun during fire.

In the three previous constructions the rod for effecting the run out movementis either disposed in the brake cylinder or is inserted in the weight whichis displaced forward during the recoil. It -is necessary that the velocity of the barrel should increase slowly on the return movement and become nearly constant shortly before the end of this movement. If the velocity were rapidly accelerated and fell off in a parabolic curve it might happen, that the barrel acquired a greater velocity than the brake cylinder and piston rod or forward running Weight actuated by the return spring. The consequence might be, that the barrel, if it was sliding forward in a horizontal cradle, might run on unbraked, or, if it was running out on an inclined slide it might advance by jerks. It is therefore important, that for guns that may be used with large angles of elevation, for which par ticularly strong return springs are required and in which consequently the velocity may increase rapidlv, the braking action on the run out movement should be effected in the piston rod connected to the barrel, and the run out rod should be attached to the base of the compression cylinder. Such a brakin arrangement is shown in Figs. 18 and 19.

lhe piston rod w connected with the barrel and the piston is hollow, and at the forward end opens into the atmosphere. On the recoil of the barrel the piston K of the run out rod 8' drives out the air in front of it and draws behind it fluid from the compression cylinder 2. During the run out of the barrel. the rod .9 is withdrawn from the hollow piston rod .1 which is filled with fluid. and the piston K of the rod a displaces the fluid in front of it. This causes a braking action. if the rim out rod .9 is cone shaped, and a brake ring R is screwed into the piston of the rod av. The farther the rod .9 is withdrawn from the piston rod :2: during the run out movement, the smaller will be the section of the annular channel between the brake ring B and the cone shaped portion of the rod .s-', so that the continued throttling of the fluid escaping from the hollow rod w etl'ects the braking during the run out movement.

In all the constructions shown the re action of the spring or air pressure is exerted against the forward part of the cradle slide. The force of the spring or the air pressure tends to press the barrel. when the gun is tired during the run out, still more strongly against the fixed resistance, which advantageously increases the stability of the gun. ln previously known differential recoil guns the reaction is exerted on the rear part of the cradle slide and tends to turn the gun. when fired. about the spade. ,Also the center of gravity of the gun is not brought so near to the spade as in those re coiling barrel guns in which the cylinder or other weights are moved backward during the recoil. The nearer the center of gravity of the whole gun approaches to the spade, the smaller is the arm of the lever, about which the center of gravity of the gun turns when'fired (assuming the turning point to be in the spade). Consequently a gun, in which heavy masses, such as the brake cylinder, are moved forward in the firing position, has a greater sta ility. The two fao tors, viz. that the reaction due to the fixed parts is exerted on the forward part of the cradle, and that heavy masses are moved forward on the recoil of the gun, both act to increase very considerably the stability of the gun, when tired. in addition also in the case of guns with return springs, the center of gravity of the gun as well as the center of gravity of the niovcd masses lower. than in the usual type of gun with recoiling barrel.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we claim 1- 1. A gun having, in combination, a barrel designed to recoil when the gun is fired. and means for moving forwardlywhen the barrel is moved rearwardly for maintaining the center of gravity of the gun practically constant in all positions of the barrel.

2. A gun having, in combination, a barrel designed to recoil when the gun is fired, and means connected to the barrel for moving forwardly when the barrel is moved rearwardly for maintaining the center of gravity of the gun practically constant in all positions of the barrel.

3. A gun having. in combination. a barrel designed to recoil when the gun is, tired, means for moving forwardly when the barrel is moved rearwardly for maintaining the center of gravity of the gun practically constant in all positions of the barrel, and means for braking the run out of the barrel.

4. A gun having. in combination, barrel designed to recoil when the gun is fired, means for moving forwardly when the barrel is moved rearwardly for maintaining the center of gravity of the gun practically constant in all positions of the barrel, and a spring placed under tension during the recoil of the barrel for effecting the run out of the latter.

5. A gun having, in combination, a barrel designed to recoil when the gun is tired, means for moving forwardly when the barrel is moved rearwardly for maintaining the center of gravity of the gun practically constant in all positions of the barrel, a spring placed under tension during the re coil of the barrel for effecting the run out of the latter, and means for braking the run out of the barrel.

6. Agun having, in combination, a barrel designed to recoil when the gun is tired, and a weighted body for moving forwardly when the barrel is moved rearwardly for maintaining the center of gravity of the gun V emma mctieaiiy cnnsmnt in all yositions 0f the and a piston within said cylinder for exertharreh 1 ing a braking action on the run out of the 2. A. H1 herring in combination, a barrel barrel. designer in recoil when, the gun is fired, a In testimony whereof, I have signed this 5 cylinder er muving forwardly when the specification 1n the presence of two sub- 1b Emrrei is moved renrwerdiy fer maintaining scribing witnesses.

the ceni ef gravity of the n practically KARL VOLLER. constant in all pcsiiiuns 0 the barrel, a Witnesses: spring acting an said nyiin-der and designed T1103. TAEN,

m is be yiwcevl under tension during the recoil, C. SIMON3EN.- 

